"The Socialist Workers Party is experiencing a massive break from the experiences which have shaped our members over the last two decades," writes Chris Bambery in He argues that a new radicalisation means that it is necessary for the SWP to break with its relatively isolated branch and paper sale method and turn build the Socialist Alliance, harking back to the IS/SWP experience Certainly it has been obvious to the whole of the left that over the recent past tae swi has been undergoing major changes, most new open relationship with other eft groups and individuals within but with other manifestations as well.
Over the last two vears, a slow change has been taking place at the of the SWE first tentatively with the campaign in the Balkans, picking up confidence with the turn to the London Socialist Alliance last year, and now finding full expression with the thorough-going attempt to change the practice of the organisation as a whole is now underway.
The political basis of this development has been given clear expression in two recent keynote Loni KECS International Socialism and in a on the SWP website from PICCO Alex Callinicos, written to explain the split with the SWP's sister organisation in the United States. the ISO.
Turing point
For both Callinicos and Rees, the Seattle is the key, a turning point in the class SHUKRIC direct action and providing a new language - anti-capitalism.
Whilst the Fourth international would highlight some of the precursors to Seattle, and the role that process - with the Euro-marches in Amsterdam and Cologne, and the growth of campaigns for the Tobin Tax such as ATTAC, nevertheless has clearly broken out.
In turn a new anti-capitalist mood points out that what is new about he cirrent unite nt demonstrstton. and campaigns is that they identify the capitalist system as the enemy. Kather than around specific issues, those questions have become starting points identifying the real source of the problem. ther developments - the growth of Greg Zucker speaking at the April 3 London rally of the Socialist Alliance ATTAC movement, and the devel. opment of new critiques of capitalNaomi Klein. Susan George and Walden Bello.
Win to socialism
That they have recognised these developments is to be welcomed. What is even more important is that - almost alone with the Fourth TeHOna amons ac tero tionary left - they want to fight to win this broad contradictory current to develop a more coherent At the Sac s Rees under stands that, as social democratic leaderships adopt the neo-liberal economic orthodoxy, the space for - ino a CaSTROC ity of left reformists are forced to draw more left wing conclusions -and turn to the anti-capitalist movement.
Thus anti-capitalist move. ment takes on an importance far greater than its current size would SUEVESE -breaking from reformism to the left and revolutionaries can co-operate".
Both Rees and Callinicos promote this argument subty, Hor them it is the movement's potential and symbolie role that is important. But it is apparent tat ocers in toc swa have inflated the real numbers that have been involved - "bending the to create an imaginary movement is not actually there. In the late 70s the "downturn" theory was used to explain away the SWP's inability to politically overcome the hold of left reformist Stalinism inside the trade union movement. For some it is clear that the "upturn" theory is now to be used to reorient the SWP without critically examining the errors of analysis of their past. more generally on the left, there is debate the nature of neo-liberal, has the Labour Party fundamentally changed its naturer John Rees has a more sophisticated nalysis compared for example to argue that Labour is now irredeemably bourgeois.
government has pushed forward an agenda that has ici many workus popic worse off than they were under the Tories. Its programme has included clements, like tube privatisation, that even Margaret Thatcher baulked at.
i tab context tac sut rcaston " and at many levels a healthy one -is to argue that this party is now one totally alien to our class. Rees argues that, however right wing Blair is, be is no worse than his political ancestors.
However naked new Labour is in orsa or etas oes practice it is no different to any previous Labour government in practice. Despite all the business donations now flowing into Labour's collers. Blair remains reliant on its financial links with the trade unions.
While perhaps we would go further in believing that Blair intends ultimately to break with Labour's with Rees' conclusion that a "capitalist workers party" and that therefore our lectoral slogan must be "Vote socialist where you can, vote Labour where you must".
Reformism in crisis With a worsening economic situadeveloping, crisis reformism will deepen How should reactr John Keci points out that there are no quick It will cake a long time to but the possibilities are stronger than for a long time. independence of action is vital. The been able to turn back what devel. oping mood exists, closing ranks But there is a growing politicised left in the trade union movement. Rees Macnece build a new rank and file move"Talking to ordinary SWP members, it is clear that the organisation is serious about making a change. But at the same time, for many, this is SWP: moring beyond branch wilding and paper sales independent of ties 88CH But whilst he is right to stress that must be at the core of this movement he fails to forms of organisation are necessary. In the past the SWP's view of rank and file 08448840 HaS ICH them building "party"-controlled currents in opposition to genuine Suspicion They were right to attack the rotelectoral run by SS ones oe nodoc dent activists were rightly suspiclous of movements that appeared to be subordinate to the whims of specific parties.
Part of the recent development of the SWP has been for their trade union militants to become involved Whilst this has varied from union U UH CIC HEC YC SuS e a new approach.
We need to build truly inclusive control of one or anther faction, where all experiences are respected. The collaboration in the Socialist Alliance has shown such inclusiv8S OSSIE Secondly, Rees calls for joint work with the new activists moving into political activity in order to rebuild the left. Employing the notion of the united front is essential for this, we are told. The united front is not some manoeuvre to expose the vacillation of CoTESH through differentiation inside the united front that revolutionaries will win recruits.
Rees calls on revolutionaries to show in practice that their methods of struggie are superior". But that said, the frame of reference is cle talks of the "systematic use of the united front approach" having ochse oha hoe orcs TAX THE empirically" by the SWP during the Balkan War campaign, and then developed in the London Socialist Ailance uui ciccion campaign He also argues that "the success of Globalise SUCH Resistance have depended critically on the diverse range of political for them and in the actual confer. ences themselves".
SWP has changed dramatically in its rela. tions to the rest of the left. But this has been partial and contradictory. Some have remained as SW sied affairs where other organised currents are only barely tolerated.
That this is no longer the norm is to be welcomed. However fact that tac imitat sout took place capircally means that its theoretical implications have not been fully Worke aoun ovie onstion as a whole - nor its practical consequences taken to their consistent conclusion.
Open debate
Of course, the SWP - and indeed other revolutionaries - are entitled to feel that their strategy and tactics are the best line of march in any be an open battle to decide the line of march, fully involving all those committed to that campaign.
Only through open democratic structures and full collaboration can lessons actually be learnt and these new forces won over.
Of course, this leaves campaigns open to factional intervention by others. And it is clear that in the past the SWP has not been alone in wanting to close off "their" patens tor tear of distuptive intervention from sectarians. But these problems have to be fought politically ratncr toan tarouge ourcauThe SWP also have to recognise incomplete, some others on the left will hark back to the bad old days when they insulated themselves from other currents ideas. While thinking is not the most constructive approach today, the basis for it is completely understandable. the end, the SWP itself has the
Outlook Since Nice coenis, sir nas conaborated town 2r etench section means to prove such forces wrong, the new line. by applying Despite being the most important method in a consistent manner. other member of the International the electoral terrain, Socialist Tendency, the SWP's loose through their involvement in the Alliance, that the SWP the SWP would rather lose comrades than allow them to drag back nave mace tae arcatest coange in their ideas and practice. the movement.
It is clear that their view of the And herein lie two fundamental Alliance is oing through a long broncis of Having argues that the SWP campaign, the SWP threw its full accraca to support the LSA GLA should not be prepared to allow the development of permanent destrucweight behind the project. But at tive factionalism, which he claims that stage it still appeared that the Fourth could as easily, be International in the 1970s. stopped after the clection if thing On the other hand he continues to were not an immediate success. argue Premature A new party? "launch an international organisation with its own Icadership and In the Rees article the Alliance is discipline before the development described as a "united front of a of the kind of mass working class reformist activists and revofution• particular kind... uniting made it nossible for the Bolsheviks to make the aries in a Communist International a major around a minimum programme pole of attraction". Whilst this is now seen as a long For all the problems of the 1970s, term structure, it is not a "party": But in recent issues of Socialist and the subsequent degencration of the American SWP in the 1980s, it Recite a debate has been opened up is just not true to say that the FI which raises the possibility allowing the Alliance to develop forum. revolutionaries would be a minor. Freedom to organise ity. On the contrary, without freedom The possibility would exist of the of dehate it would have been imposSWP operating as a tendency inside sible to correct such mistakes that such a party as they are proposing were made. Full freedom of critito do when they join the Scottish cism and internal organisation are Socialist Party on May Day the only guarantee of the long-term These ideas all represent a potential break with past practice. tion - in national parties and interallainiy the crnericnce of the last nationally. year has confounded those who And though clearly the conditions assumed that the SWP's project in that produced Communist International will lead to the forthe SA was to mount a rapid raid on the left. mation of new international relaIn order to see through this deep- tions superceding the Fourth ening analysis, the must organchange the culture of its own organ. ised, the to build an International in the here and now Gramscian concept of the party is the only way to ensure the develmember as "organic intellectual" opment of the revolutionary moveInstead of paper-sellers, maintain"the verities of socialist politics The FI has always believed that it is necessary for our individual secto relatively small audiences" he calls on revolutionaries to agitate tions to freedom and organise on a wider scale, develop their own line of march, to the best militants in the class, of their own local political situawhether or not we expect them to tion. But international collaborabecome SWP members" and debate are vital for the Uncharted healthiness of those sections. It is ironic that the SWP's loose tenTalking to ordinary SWP mem- dency seems to have a heavier hand bers, it is clear that the organisation than the FI world party. is serious about making a change. the turn by But at the same time, for many, this the SWP outlined by Callinicos and Rees is to be warmly welcomed.
It remains to be seen whether this The experience can develop beyond a set of basic the Socialist Alliance has been a organisation around a specific lead positive one ership team That is the charge of unions there are the beginnings of In campaigns and in the trade from whom the SWP have recently international level, despite the odd DRUKCH jibe, the work, instance in Nice Callinicos makes great play or toc hetween the SWP and the Lek. need to be prepared to make a funand now in building for Genoa indicates new possibilities emerging. when it deemed necessary. "Adapt or die" is the message. He tunity which must be embraced. The run by the SWP is an opporaccuses the iso or taming to cack quickly and thoroughly enough to Gordon Morgan ane scottish socalist Farty Conference in February decided to stand in every seat in Scotland at the forthcoming General Election. There are 72 seats in Scotland and everyone realsed this was a Conference accepted a Financial Report that committed the Party to raise €100,000 to meet the costs Although the regressive first past the post election number of seats.
The party has set itself a anget of 5% of the vot across Scotland: 100,000 positive votes based on Whilst it has been polling above this level for the Scottish Parlament consistently for the last year, polls Parliament have lagged behind at between 29 and 3%.
Achieving 5% will mean corvinang everyone wit has voted SSP in recent elections to do so at the This election will therefore be a test and an pportunity for the Part Most members are nev participated in an clection campaign before. The lessons from organising this lection wil prove invaluable in two years time for the Scottish Parliament contest, where we have real possibilities of electing between 3 and 6 members thus transforming our infuence in and ability to defend the working class.
The initial organisation of the campaign has been successful. Candidates have been selected in all seats. Around (45,000 has been raised or pledged to date -enough for the deposits and for the election leaflet which will be sent to around 1.5 milion homes.
The SSP will be entitled to at least I political broadast and preparation foe this is underway with SSP member and director Peter Parliament Party Political kroadcist had a maior role in our success in the elec. tions to the Scottish in the clection of Tommy Sheridan to the Parliament and won many new memgoes weekly Within the next few weeks the SSP paper Scottish Socialist Voice wil become a weekly. For the last 2 years the Voice has step up electoral been produced fortnightly It has been sold through subscribers and the copies sold by the party member. ship.
Now a deal has been reached with distributers to deliver the Voice to around 1,000 newsagents throughour Scotland. This will involve some changes to the format (think Private Eye) with a magazine forwe are pastore was pos The shop price wil be LI -though the price on the street may differ.
In the run up to the election, using commercial disallows us to reach a wider audience, recruit members and extend our influence.
Having a weekly paper will enable the Voice to reach the parts of Scotland other sournals cont reach SWP to join SSP To make Mayday 2001 truly historic, the SWP in Scotland has agreed to join the SSP on that date.
Discussions have been ongoing since October Endy Scrip the Counci Tax 2000 and whilst there was willingness on both side or the SWP to join the SSF formal endorsement was required from both sets of cussions had to be concluded on membership norms, integration of campagns etc.
Within the last few days these have concluded and Scottish members of the SWP will formally join the SSP on May 1.
Amongst the more contentious issues was how SWP members in the SSP would sell Socialist Worker. The SSP conference decided that the norm Voice should be sold pubthat other papers including Socialst Worker should only be sold to SSP memdition of membership and The SWP sated that they the positions of the SSP most notably the line on an Independent Socialist Scotland. This was not con. disagree with this -although the overwhelming tion and it is one of its points of distinction within the Scottish left. Whilst the SSP has and the SWP around 200. this will be much more than an arithmetic strengthening of the SSP The SVP represent a distinct tradition within British politics. Whilst their ideologkal ostraveness of Issues such as State Capitalism have become blurred since the collapse of Stalinism, they embody a group of cadre who have great experience in organ. now can bang aro responding to workers struggles.
The SSP whilst it has a coos con stretched by the need to respond to every issue in throughout Scotland.
Hoperusy the new thiec tion of cadre will dramatically increase the SSP's organisational effectiveness and increase its strength. step in building the SSP as a workers party. A Drug War The Scottish Daily Record had welcomed Tommy Sheridan's election and given him a column in the tor of the Record, whilst broadly supporting Labour had been critical of New Labour and of Blair's Tory policies With a change of editor this has changed. Record the editorial line is Labour cost uning sance sice bread.
First to go was Tommy's column - the fee for this has always gone to keep open a Community Hall in tried to close. The Record to boost its circulation and found drugs.
Shop a Dealer' had been tried before by the Evening Times a lew years ago - (o no lasting impact. With drug deaths at record levchiefs and all drug agencies up. the Record relaunched this discredited campaign First Labour were blackmailed into supporting the populist say no to drugs given their lack of convictions. Then the Record noticed the SSP had a dission: free doctors to pre scribe heroin if required; remove the profit from Cannabis" is one of the SSP's main Suddenly the Record attacks on Tommy as "Working Class Zero". "Dopey Tommy" and so on were front page. The SSP responded vigorously, and defended their position and march.
A public demo was banned by the Council but The bastion of the reptable press in Scotland the carried a half page explaining the SSP drugs policy in a pointing out that a majority of SNP MSPs and no few from Labour privately supported this.
On the day around 20,000 turned up at the Record march. Most had no view other than terror at what the current policy is doing to wanting cas communities. At the SSP ally, which was full, around the profit from the dealers through legalisation and prescription.
Drugs will remain one of the SP's lend policies dur ing the election.
Outlook
system will prevent the SSP gaining any seats, k wil
Mullin helping with pro- duction. The Scottish
bers to our organisation. Socialist Voice
groups within the SSP also SSP conference: Tommy Sheridan and Alan Green
cinct line: No to drugs hypocrisy: legalse cannabis; decriminalse drug posses-
called a demonstration at Record's "Say no to Drugs"